NOVEL WEB Chapter 36: Chapter 35: The Imperial Court’s Response
Chapter 35: The Imperial Court's Response
The throne room of the Imperial Palace was shrouded in an oppressive silence, the weight of impending doom pressing down upon the gathered ministers, generals, and nobles. The golden banners of the Empire fluttered lightly from the high ceilings, their proud insignias illuminated by the flickering torches lining the marble walls.
Yet, despite the grandeur of the room, a storm of fear and uncertainty loomed over the assembly.
The doors to the throne room suddenly burst open, and a man, drenched in sweat, his clothes tattered and soaked in blood, collapsed to his knees before the grand chamber. His breathing was ragged, his body trembling violently, and his eyes, once full of life, were now hollow and sunken, filled only with the weight of horrors beyond words.
Two Royal Knights, clad in gleaming silver armor, struggled to keep him upright.
"Speak!" the Crown Prince commanded, his voice firm yet laced with urgency.
The messenger's lips quivered, his body shaking as if gripped by fever.
"They… They killed them…!" he gasped, his voice a hoarse whisper, barely holding back a scream.
The court stiffened.
"My family… My friends… Everyone in Maung… butchered. Slaughtered. Burned alive." His voice cracked, his breath uneven. "No one was spared. No one…"
His nails dug into the stone floor, his entire body convulsing from exhaustion and trauma.
"Please… save them… please…"
The Crown Prince, Min Ye Kyaw Htin, clad in royal golden robes that shone like the sun, stepped forward, his sharp gaze piercing through the man's despair. He knelt slightly, lowering himself to the man's level, and spoke, his voice calm yet commanding.
"Relax, you are in safe hands now. No harm will come to you. Just tell me everything you saw."
The man looked up, eyes bloodshot and filled with agony, but the Crown Prince's presence had a strange effect—it grounded him, allowing him to force out the words he never wished to say.
And so, he told them.
Everything.
The massacre of Maung.
The 600,000-strong Holy Army of the Church of the Sun.
The entire court stood in stunned silence as the horrifying reality sank in.
Their Empire—their home—was under siege on all sides.
The Crown Prince's golden eyes burned with intensity, but his expression remained stone-cold, unreadable. He turned toward the Royal Knights.
"Take this man to the medical ward. Give him proper treatment. He has suffered enough."
The knights saluted, lifting the broken messenger and guiding him out of the throne room.
The moment the doors closed, the entire court erupted into frantic discussion.
The Crown Prince raised a hand, silencing them with a single gesture.
Then, his gaze turned to the commander of the Imperial Guard, a seasoned warrior with a golden knight's robe, his face worn from years of war.
"General Thandar, how many troops do we currently have in the capital?"
The general straightened, his expression grim.
"At best, 200,000, Your Highness. If we conscript commoners, we can push that number to 300,000, but that would be the absolute maximum."
A heavy silence followed.
The Crown Prince clenched his jaw.
They were at a severe numerical disadvantage.
600,000 Holy Crusaders.
The Empire's forces were stretched too thin throughout the realm.
The Imperial Army—once the strongest force in the known world—was now outnumbered and outmaneuvered.
The Crown Prince exhaled slowly, his mind racing through strategic possibilities.
"Commander-in-Chief General Nay Myo Thura."
A colossal figure stepped forward—General Nay Myo Thura, the highest-ranking military officer in the Empire, a man known for his unshakable resolve and unyielding loyalty to the throne. His presence alone commanded respect, his battle-worn armor gleaming under the flickering torchlight.
He saluted, his deep voice steady.
"Your Highness."
The Crown Prince's eyes narrowed.
"What are your suggestions?"
The general was silent for a moment, contemplating. Then, his voice boomed across the chamber, carrying the weight of unquestionable authority.
"We hold."
A murmur rippled through the court, some nobles visibly paling.
But Nay Myo Thura continued, his words unwavering.
"The Imperial Capital is the strongest fortress in the known world. Its walls have never been breached in over 200 years. If we abandon it, we lose not only our home, but the heart of the Empire itself. We must fortify our defenses, stockpile supplies, and prepare for a siege."
A younger noble scoffed.
"And what? Hide like cowards? We should march out and face them!"
Nay Myo Thura's sharp glare cut the noble down where he stood.
"March out and die, you mean? You would have us throw away what little strength we have left? Against those numbers? Against an army that slaughters entire cities without hesitation?" His voice boomed, causing the noble to shrink back. "We will NOT waste lives on foolish heroics. The walls of the Imperial Capital will stand, and we will endure."
The Crown Prince nodded slowly, absorbing the words.
"You are correct."
He turned to another figure, one draped in ornate blue and gold robes, his long silver beard flowing like a river of wisdom.
The Royal Grand Sage.
One of the three remaining peak human beings in the capital.
The Crown Prince, Commander-in-Chief, and Grand Sage—they were the only ones left capable of holding the line.
The Crown Prince exhaled.
"The King is bedridden. He cannot take the field. That leaves us three." His golden eyes sharpened. "We will make our stand here. We will NOT let this capital fall. We will NOT let the Empire fall."
A warrior's fire burned in his gaze.
And then—
A horn sounded from the watchtower.
A chilling cry of alarm rang out.
A Royal Guard rushed in, panting heavily.
"Your Highness! The enemy…" He gulped, sweat dripping down his forehead. "The Holy Army has been sighted… FROM THE WALLS."
A sudden, oppressive silence fell over the throne room.
The Crown Prince and General Nay Myo Thura exchanged glances.
Then, in a single motion, they stormed toward the balcony, stepping out onto the grand overlook of the capital's outer walls.
And there—
Stretched across the horizon like a sea of white and gold—
The Church of the Sun's Crusade had arrived.
600,000 fanatic warriors, banners of the Creator God waving high, their holy chants reverberating across the battlefield like an impending storm.
The Imperial Capital had become the last stronghold.
The siege had begun.
(Continue…..)